page_title: LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin operational history
section_title: Mediterranean flights (1929)
hierarchical_section_title: LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin operational history / Mediterranean flights (1929)
caption_attribution_description: English: Flown ppc carried on the DLZ127 "Graf Zeppelin" on the "Mittelmeerfahrt" to Syria 1929 (The Cooper Collections) Photograph by uploader.
context_page_description: LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin was a German passenger-carrying, hydrogen-filled rigid airship which flew from 1928 to 1937. It was designed and built to show that intercontinental airship travel was practicable. Its operational history included several long flights, such as a polar exploration mission, a round-the-world trip, trips to the Middle East and the Americas, and latterly being used as a propaganda vehicle for the ruling Nazi Party. The airship was withdrawn from service following the Hindenburg disaster.
context_section_description: With the cotton tail surfaces replaced by linen for added strength, Graf Zeppelin visited Palestine in late March 1929. It carried 28 passengers, some in the crew quarters. It had to leave port at 12:45 am because France only permitted it to overfly its territory in darkness, and above 3,600 feet. At Rome it sent greetings to Benito Mussolini and King Victor Emmanuel III. It entered Palestine at Jaffa, flew over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and descended to near the surface of the Dead Sea, 1,400 feet below sea level.  The ship delivered 16,000 letters in mail drops at Jaffa, Athens, Budapest and Vienna.
  The Egyptian government (under pressure from Britain) refused it permission to enter their airspace; the Egyptian journalist Mahmud Abu al-Fath, who was on board representing Al-Ahram newspaper, wrote that this was caused by British jealousy over the success of German technology. Eckener sent a telegram to King Fuad from just outside Egyptian territory, expressing regret that "contrary winds prevent us from flying over the land of the wonders of a thousand years." It then returned after a journey of 8,000 km (5,000 mi; 4,300 nmi) in 81 hours.
  The second Mediterranean cruise flew over France, Spain, Portugal and Tangier, then returned home via Cannes and Lyon in a flight of 57 hours on 23–25 April.
caption: Postcard carried to Syria on the "Mittelmeerfahrt 1929"
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